Prince Lie Jie watched the demons coming and going amidst the crowd. They were now children, women, or porters. Some had even transformed into buildings, lanterns, and ships, non-human objects.
The students from the Imperial Academy, in twos and threes, followed several fox and snake spirits to the boarding area. They were dazed, both coveting the beauties of the women and, under the influence of the "wish-thoughts," believing they had already been favored by Prince Lu, and that future prosperity was not a dream.
The influence of the wish-thoughts was perfect.
They did not realize that the appearance of a prince in Ying Tian should have been terrifying, let alone being favored by this prince, which should have caused the nine generations of all factions to suffer heart attacks.
The painted boats were already prepared. These students from the Imperial Academy, with a trace of righteousness clinging to them, were precisely why Prince Lu had chosen them. The thirteen hundred people were not randomly selected. Otherwise, the beggars on the streets, the merchants of the lower classes, the actors, these people would have died and disappeared, and no one would have paid attention to their survival.
What mattered was righteousness, not the number of thirteen hundred people.
And righteousness, to demons, was like an addictive poison. They feared it yet craved to consume it.
Demons raised with righteousness were the finest sacrifices, and this was not Prince Lu's original ritual but something a cultivator had once told him.
It was a pity, however, that possessors of righteousness were too few, and their appearance was entirely random and subjective. Prince Lie Jie couldn't help but think that the Confucian path was uncontrollable, and the offspring of those in high positions often lacked the conditions for righteousness to appear. Perhaps those with immense power lacked good hearts.
Prince Lie Jie did not know Ji Xiang's whereabouts, but the black Taoist robes were too conspicuous. Perhaps only one or two people in the entire world dared to wear such robes.
Black robes, meaning black Taoist attire, represented a position akin to the leader of all cultivators in this world. Although most cultivators did not care about the meaning of these clothes, even scoffing at them as mere empty fame, empty fame was still fame. At least it represented orthodoxy and righteousness, conferred by the emperor himself.
"Two ladies, have you seen a Taoist in black robes?"
Prince Lie Jie approached the fox and snake spirits. The fox and snake spirits thought it was an ordinary person greeting them. As they turned to make a jest:
"Heh heh, your pick-up lines are a bit clumsy... Prince Lie Jie!"
The fox and snake spirits were instantly startled. However, the young gentlemen who had been deceived had already boarded. They thought Prince Lie Jie was there to inspect their work, so they immediately tried to claim credit.
"Well done."
Prince Lie Jie praised them, causing the two female demons to blush.
After all, Prince Lie Jie was not a demon but a true folk deity.
Among Prince Lu's subordinates, demons were only a part. More were cultivators and folk deities. Although Prince Lie Jie's status was not prominent, and he had only arrived recently, he was considered a favored subordinate of Prince Lu, with extremely high cultivation. Coupled with his youthful, heroic, and extraordinary appearance, many female demons hoped to have a night of passion with this deity.
If they could absorb more divine energy during their pleasure, they could strengthen themselves in the future.
This was the most important thing.
After all, folk deities had great potential. If they could shed their folk deity status one day and receive a divine position in heaven, they would truly be gods descending to earth. If they could form a good match with him at this time, the opportunity would be immense.
However, Prince Lie Jie often mingled with the red-clothed fire maiden. That fire maiden's cultivation was not high, but her words were unpleasant. The female demons held a strong prejudice against the Fire Lord.
"Prince, Prince, who are you looking for? We sisters will help you find them. However, tonight, can you come to my painted boat?"
The fox spirit was the first to extend an invitation. The snake spirit was not to be outdone. At this moment, the two female demons looked nothing like demons, their flushed faces like bright, radiant lanterns, filled with hope and anticipation.
They were merely faithfully carrying out their orders.
Prince Lie Jie thought so.
If they were not chosen by Prince Lu to be eaten tonight, and if luck was on their side... they might survive.
He glanced again at the painted boats moored by the riverbank. The students from the Imperial Academy were indulging in drunken revelry, completely unaware that they were about to become food for others. If their bones were difficult to digest, they would likely be fed to the maggot-dog demons.
"Hmm... alright."
Prince Lie Jie agreed to the two female demons, and for some reason, a trace of pity arose in his heart. He didn't know if it was for the female demons or for the mortals about to be eaten:
"However, no eating people tonight."
Prince Lie Jie's response made the fox and snake spirits clap their hands in joy, as if they had inexhaustible energy. As the two young ladies went to appease the students from the Imperial Academy and dispatched their attendant minor demons to search, Prince Lie Jie walked not far away and was struck on the shoulder by a lantern.
"Lord Lie Jie, this minor demon has seen that black-robed Taoist. He appeared here during the day, bringing the Dean of the Imperial Academy and his daughter."
"This minor demon remembers that they were people specifically requested by His Highness Prince Lu. The Dean possesses righteousness."
Prince Lie Jie turned his head and saw a standing lantern rack emitting a voice. The people around did not find it unusual. Some mortals even took lanterns from the lantern rack, and the lanterns had eyes or sharp teeth and bloody mouths.
"Fish Pond Swamp Plague Ghost, why didn't you tell me just now?"
Fish Pond Swamp Plague Ghost, standing thirty feet tall, shaped like a giant lantern rack, was not afraid of Buddhist incantations of great compassion. Wherever it appeared, it brought plague.
However, it dared not display its demonic power now, so it stood by the roadside like a harmless creature, serving as a tool for selling lanterns.
"My apologies, my lord."
The lantern demon confessed, "I just saw you conversing with the fox and snake spirits and feared I would delay your pleasantries."
Prince Lie Jie chuckled. The lantern demon continued:
"That black-robed Taoist possesses mysterious arts. I saw him for an instant, and the next moment he was gone. I couldn't find him anywhere. It was only when my sold lanterns were taken elsewhere that I saw him twice more. Each appearance and disappearance left no trace."
Prince Lie Jie was certain: "That must be a遁术 (Dùn Shù - Evasion Technique), right?"
"The Fire Lord also has fire evasion techniques. It's quite rare. I don't know evasion techniques."
The lantern demon suddenly realized: "So it's an evasion technique. Evasion techniques are rare and difficult to learn. Most people learn divine walking techniques and few learn evasion methods. This minor demon has never seen one before. Thank you for your guidance, my lord."
Prince Lie Jie: "Since it's an evasion technique, it will be troublesome. I'm afraid he doesn't have a fixed trajectory. You probably can't tell which type of evasion technique it is, and it's difficult to track him."
"Not necessarily."
The lantern demon suddenly said, "Just now, I saw the Iron Headwear of Plum Blossom Mountain. It wasn't just one demon, but a group, about twenty in total, ranging from the Golden Core realm to above Innate. Each of them possessed it."
"This group of Plum Blossom Mountain demons entered the city just now and gathered, heading towards a certain location. Their actions seem to be outside the arrangements of several lords."
"Have the other lords assigned anything to the Iron Headwear?"
Prince Lie Jie frowned: "The Iron Headwear of Plum Blossom Mountain..."
"This fellow is not one of my subordinate demons. I haven't made any such arrangements. Do you know where they went?"
The lantern demon pointed out the route to Prince Lie Jie, who headed in that direction and used a spiritual talisman for communication.
Throughout the Qinhuai River, there were beings like Prince Lie Jie, either demon kings or divine generals, all driven by Prince Lu.
"The Commander of the Ying Tian Xiaoling Guard, Divine General Hei Xia, and the Iron Headwear have gathered more than twenty demons and are moving around the city, their actions unknown. Was this your assignment?"
Prince Lie Jie's inquiry quickly received a response:
"No! But are you sure he has appeared in Ying Tian Prefecture?"
Prince Lie Jie chuckled: "I'm not entirely sure. It was the Fish Pond Swamp Plague Ghost, the lantern seller, who told me."
"Lie Jie, the Iron Headwear is a Great Demon of the Iron Scarf who cultivates behind the tomb of Emperor Wu of Wu in Plum Blossom Mountain. Although I am the Commander of the Xiaoling Guard, I cannot enter the depths of Plum Blossom Mountain. The tomb of Emperor Wu is directly in front of the divine path leading into the mountain, guarding the gate for our dynasty's founding emperor, Emperor Hongwu. My jurisdiction can only extend to the outer perimeter of Emperor Wu's tomb."
"I haven't seen him leave, but I also cannot enter to verify if he is there."
"The Iron Headwear and I are not on good terms. He has always wanted to impress Prince Lu and be on equal footing with us."
Having received a full response, Prince Lie Jie was about to inform Prince Lu of the matter, but the spiritual talisman connected, and it was not Prince Lu's voice.
"His Highness is preparing for ascension. From now until this time tomorrow, a total of twelve hours are required, and he must not be disturbed."
"What is it?"
Upon hearing this, Prince Lie Jie respectfully replied:
"So it is Lord Yao, the Immortal Official of Good Fortune."
He then reported the matter truthfully. Lord Yao said indifferently:
"It's a trivial matter. Why bother with him? Don't you have your own work? Have you seen that Grand Realist from the Forbidden City?"
Prince Lie Jie replied truthfully: "Not yet."
Lord Yao cautioned: "There are many affairs in Ying Tian Prefecture. Minor skirmishes between cultivators and demons are common, but under the influence of wish-thoughts, they will eventually be pacified. You don't need to meddle too much in these matters. During the day, a Celestial Earth Immortal of the White Lotus Sect also perished, and nothing can be found now."
"Similar incidents may occur tomorrow. If you encounter them, stop them appropriately. If you don't, then there's no need to pursue it further."
Prince Lie Jie: "Understood. Since His Highness cannot be disturbed, I will act according to the situation."
Behind the spiritual talisman, Lord Yao gave an affirmative sound, allowing him to do so, and then the light on the spiritual talisman dimmed.
Yes, he still had his proper work to do.
"Right, speaking of the White Lotus Sect... besides the demons, if the people of the White Lotus Sect help me search, it should be faster... Where did that Celestial Earth Immortal cultivator who was killed during the day appear?"
Prince Lie Jie found the White Lotus Sect cultivators patrolling the streets and arrived at the scene of the incident from the day.
...
Liu Zimin, after asking around in Ying Tian Prefecture, acted as if he were mad. He dared not return to the West Mountain Taoist Academy and could only take shelter in a temple. The temple priest, seeing his appearance, assumed he was a traveling Taoist seeking refuge. Many cultivators had entered Ying Tian recently, and those without places to stay would reside in various temples, which was normal.
After all, they didn't charge money; they were all fellow cultivators.
Liu Zimin thanked the temple priest. He thought that in normal times, he wouldn't even glance at these small street temples and courtyards, let alone interact with them. Now, he was forced to hide here, truly showing how unpredictable life was.
He then thought of Ji Xiang, who had appeared during the day, and his mind became a muddle.
Is this world going crazy, or am I going crazy?
One of them must be abnormal, right?
Are both of them abnormal?
"If only I had spoken to that strange black-clothed cultivator. I failed to recognize his eminence."
"Perhaps I wouldn't have ended up in this predicament."
"What sect do those cultivators who were arresting people belong to? Why have I never seen them before? I've cultivated in Ying Tian Prefecture for several years. It's normal for commoners not to recognize them, and it's normal for the temple priests of small temples not to recognize them. I am, after all, a disciple of a major sect and have seen many fellow disciples and their academies. The West Mountain Taoist Academy has considerable prestige near Ying Tian, but the cultivators who appeared during the day had high realms, and I didn't recognize them. How is this possible?"
"Right, who is worshipped in this temple?"
This small temple was not large, with only two or three guest rooms and only two incense halls. The temple priest was receiving incense visitors. However, after the visitors entered, they went directly to the side hall, ignoring the main hall.
Liu Zimin found it strange, so he went into the main hall and looked up. Seeing that the statue in the main hall was a man with a mournful face, he was greatly puzzled.
The incense was quite abundant. Why did this deity have such a mournful face...
He was confused and suddenly felt as if someone was speaking in his ear.
"Having passed the demonic tribulation and revealed one's true nature, a single spirit returns to its original true form..."
This voice, coming from afar, seemed to echo in his heart. Liu Zimin became somewhat dazed, and countless wish-thoughts began to influence him.
Liu Zimin shook his head violently. Suddenly, he felt that the main hall was strange. He had interacted with Ji Xiang before, and now he had some resistance to this influence of wish-thoughts. A trace of demonic energy suddenly appeared on his body, keeping Liu Zimin clear-headed, which caused the statue to utter a sound of surprise!
Suddenly, a hand appeared, emerging from the statue, and grabbed Liu Zimin by the neck!
The statue reached out from its high platform, seizing Liu Zimin from a distance. The moment it grabbed him, Liu Zimin's entire magical power seemed to be sealed, and he couldn't use any of it. Apart from having more strength, he was like a mortal!
But the hand extending from the statue was even stronger than him. Liu Zimin struggled in vain, filled with terror.
"Seeing my main hall means you have escaped the influence of wish-thoughts. How strange. Why does the influence on you not work anymore? Haven't you passed the demonic tribulation and returned to your original form? The influence on you should be effective now?"
"Is the demonic tribulation still at work? Strange, strange!"
The mournful-faced statue of the great man actually stood up, muttering incoherently, wanting to pry open Liu Zimin's brain to see its structure. Unexpectedly, the moment it stood up, a command voice came from an unknown place.
"Summoning Spirit Technique."
"Sit!"
*Bang!*
The mournful-faced statue, having just stood up, was stunned by this command and sat down without any resistance! Due to the excessive force, it actually smashed its own altar into pieces!
"The temple... the incense is very strong."
Ji Xiang walked into the main hall, his shadow stretching long under the lamplight.